Fever
by alex-hp7
Summary: Spending a day with Jem on a tour of London is fun and takes Tessa's mind off troubling thoughts... until it starts raining and neither of them took an umbrella with them. Tessa wakes up with raised temperature and guess who feels guilty? Set during Clockwork Prince.


_*yay* Another Jessa fanfic!  
_

 _Plot:  
Spending a day with Jem on a tour of London is fun and takes Tessa's mind off troubling thoughts... until it starts raining and neither of them took an umbrella with them. Tessa wakes up with raised temperature and guess who feels guilty?_  
 _Set during Clockwork Prince._

 _I apologize for any mistakes._

 _alex-hp7_

* * *

Jem overheard Sophie talking to Charlotte following morning before breakfast. She was telling Charlotte Tessa couldn't come down to breakfast and train afterwards with Gabriel because she wasn't feeling well.

The silver-haired Shadowhunter sighed and ran his hand through his hair. Was Tessa sick because they ran for miles to the Institute as it started raining, and when they finally reached the Institute, they were soaking wet? He tilted his head. Seemed logical.

Sophie came out through the kitchen door with a tray stacked with bread, butter, jam and tea. Jem tried to look as casual as possible.

"Good morning, Sophie."

"Good morning, Master Jem."

He gave her the Look (don't-call-me-Master-do-I-always-have-to-remind-you). He closed his eyes for two seconds, then opened them and inquire, "Is Tessa alright? Is she sick?"

"Miss Tessa is feverish but she'll be fine after she takes some rest. Now, excuse me, Master Jem, I have to take breakfast to her."

Jem smiled, nodded and headed to the dining room.

"Morning, Master Jem," greeted him Will, sipping his tea and grinning from behind the tea cup. Jem cursed him secretly for his excellent hearing.

"Good morning."

"How are you feeling?" asked Charlotte, worried about Jem's health, considering she was the one who saw in what state he and Tessa came to the Institute yesterday evening.

"I'm well." He spoke truth. Jem took some yin fen as soon as he got to his bedroom.

"Jem is still a Shadowhunter, Charlotte, a mere rain cannot take him down. Am I right?" Will patted him on the shoulder when Jem sat down.

"You are."

* * *

Sophie was training with Gideon, Charlotte was doing some paperwork, Jessamine was forced (her words, not his) into helping her, Henry... angel knows and Will was in his bedroom probably reading a book he would complain about later. Jem was bored. That didn't happen often. He tried playing violin, composing a new song... nothing helped. His mind wandered off to Tessa again and again.

He should do something. He should go and see her. Everyone's busy anyway, no one would find out he was in Tessa's room. He just wanted to check up on her. And he also wanted to spend some time with her because yesterday's tour wasn't enough.

Jem glanced at himself in the mirror to make sure his image won't make her feel even more sick.

 _Why am I so concerned about this anyway?_ he thought.

He came out of his room, and went across the hall to the door leading to her room. Jem knocked and waited. Nothing. Silence. Was she sleeping?

Before he could stop himself, he opened the door a little just to peek in. Jem was right. She was asleep, burried beneath blankets. The only thing he could see were her wrists wrapped in cool bandages and her head with a cool cloth on her forehead and flushed cheeks. There was a porcelain basin on her nightstand filled with water. If this was Sophie's idea of "feverish" he must have been burning alive everytime he took yin fen.

He stepped into the room, closed the door behind him quietly and stepped closer to her bed. Poor thing. He bet those bandages weren't cool anymore. Jem checked the water temperature in the basin. That was his answer. As silently as possible he changed the water for a colder one.

He took the cloth from her forehead, soaked it in the water and placed it back gently. He did the same thing with her wrists.

When he was done with her right wrist, she stirred and blinked a few times. Jem froze.

"Aiyo~," he whispered to himself. He woke her up. That was the last thing he wanted.

"Jem?" her voice was hoarse.

"Yes?" he asked innocently and quickly took a step back.

"What are you doing?" She didn't sound angry.

Jem cleared his throat. "I just wanted to see how you're doing. Sophie said you weren't feeling well."

"Did you change my bandages?" she asked curiously when she finally managed to open her eyes.

"Uhm... I soaked them in the water to keep them cool."

Tessa was tired, she had a mild headache and her legs hurt too, but Jem's face at this moment (and not just now) was worth her energy. She smiled.

"I feel a bit guilty about yesterday..." Such a Jem thing to say.

"You don't have to feel guilty, you can't influence weather."

A moment of silence.

"Does it happen often? That is just starts raining out of nowhere?"

Jem took a seat on a chair next to the bed and clasped his hands together in his lap.

"Yes. London weather tends to be like that... Hmm... Do you want me to bring you something? Tea? Tea helps. It's important to drink a lot when you're sick... I mean, you're not really sick are you? But still..." he rambled. "Are you hungry? I could go and get you scones or whatever you want."

Tessa tried not to laugh. He was so worried, but cute.

"Stop fussing," she said softly, "I'm fine. But tea would be nice."

Jem looked glad she told him what she wanted. He simply nodded and practically ran out of her bedroom to the kitchen.

Tessa dozed off for a while, she woke up to a smell of a ginger tea and to a beautiful melody pouring from Jem's bedroom

After she finished the tea and finished a chapter in a book she was reading while drinking, she put on a dressing gown, combed her hair and stepped out of her room. Jem stopped playing. She heard distant voices from one end of the hall.

"You're progressing well, Miss Collins."

It was Gideon and Sophie then. Tessa felt like she's not supposed to listen further to their conversation even though she wanted to. If she listened, she would have some material she could use to tease Sophie with.

She knocked on Jem's door. After a couple of seconds he opened the door. Jem was holding a violin bow in his left hand, his hair was ruffled, top two buttons on his shirt were undone.

"Tessa," he said, surprised.

She heard Gideon and Sophie coming closer, she looked at the direction she heard them from. Jem followed her gaze. They saw Gideon coming from around the corner. Tessa didn't really want him to see her like this. Jem seemd to think exactly what she was thinking. He took her by her hand, pulled her into his bedroom and closed the door behind them.

Tessa was flushed from the fever since the morning but she felt like her cheeks are going to explode now that she was standing so close to Jem.

"You look better now."

"Thank you. Tea helped."

He smiled at her sweetly. "I'm glad you're feeling better."

They both noticed they were still holding hands, they awkwardly let go and pretended it didn't happen. He went to an armchair next to a fireplace. He'd placed some of his music sheets there, he put them away and offered Tessa the seat.

As soon as she sat down he covered her lap with a forest green blanket. She was surprised by that. Jem sat down at his desk nearby, facing the window.

"You should still be in warm. When you're feverish, you tend to get cold easily. You can wrap it around yourself if you want. Just make yourself comfortable," he said lightly.

Tessa thanked him and covered herself with the blanket up to her chin. Jem tried to look composed. It was hard, she was so cute!

"I was composing," he turned to his sheet and violin on the table, and scratched his back with a bow. That made Tessa smile. "I'm stuck. I don't know why it happens sometimes. And it usually happens when you need to get on with the work."

Before Tessa could answer, the door burst open, revealing Will in all his glory (messy hair, untucked shirt and creased trousers).

"I just saw Gideon and Sophie..." he stopped as he noticed Tessa sitting in the armchair.

He leaned against the door frame, folded his arms. Jem turned and blinked a few times. Will turned his gaze back to Jem.

"I love how innocent and clueless you two always look."

"Innocent? Why? Tessa's just hiding from Gideon."

"Ah," said Will with an understanding expression on his face. He glanced at Tessa, "I totally understand that. Who would want to be in his presence? Wait... Sophie! But why? Jem, please, remind me later I need to ask her about it."

"I will not remind you anything," said Jem, making Tessa smirk into the blanket. "It's not your business with who Sophie spends her time. Besides, she's not stupid and can think for herself. We should be focusing on Gideon and Gabriel."

"You always have a point. Sometimes I hate that you always correct me. You're supposed to be my parabatai."

"That doesn't mean I can't have my own free will."

"Exactly! You have me!" exclaimed Will and spread his arms dramatically.

Tessa drew a blanket over her face. She didn't want Will to see how badly she wanted to laugh.

"I hate your stupid jokes," said Jem with a faint smile Will couldn't see, because Jem had turned to his music.

"No you don't," Will responed confidently.

* * *

Lunch was announced at twelve. Will had already left, Jem had returned to composing and Tessa had been relaxing, listening to his music.

Jem stood from his chair and offered Tessa a hand. She put the blanket away and took Jem's hand. He helped her up.

"I should return to my room and prepare for lunch," she said.

"Tessa, shouldn't you rest some more? Sophie will bring you the lunch... or I can do it if you want."

He was so caring. She wanted to know how he was doing it.

"I'll see. I want to return to my warm bed and book... but I'm also hungry," she said pensively.

"It's settled then. You can spend whole day in bed! You deserve it."

Jem did something both him and Tessa didn't expect - he kissed her on the forehead. She looked up at him in shock. His eyes were widened, he clearly didn't plan this. She didn't fail to notice his blush. Jem cleared his throat and dropped his gaze.

"Come on."

Still holding her hand, Jem lead her to her room. Before he turned to leave, Tessa stopped him by grabbing his wrist. He looked at her in surprise and then her hand clutching his wrist. She quickly let go and murmured, "Sorry."

Then she asked, "When you finish your song, will you play it for me?"

"Of course."

Tessa felt so warm even without the blanket. Jem's goodness and love made her feel better than any other treatment.

"Thank you."

Why did she want to kiss him?

Damn it.

She didn't even remember stepping closer and placing a gentle peck on his cheek. Judging from his expression, she didn't do anything wrong.

"My pleasure," he whispered and smiled... again.

How dare he use that smile against her all the time? Tessa attempted to look as normal as possible, but she felt like she wasn't successful. The last thing she wanted was to act like a fool in front of Jem.

"I'll tell Sophie to come here, alright?"

Jem left with one last glance in her direction.

Tessa sat on her bed, her mind full of thoughts on this silver boy.


End file.
